Apparatus for supporting and straining lawn-tennis and like nets



June 26, 1928. 1,675,249 E. C. CARVER "APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING AND STRAINING LAWN TENNIS AND LIKE NETS Filed Nov. 10, 1927 Jllll \lllllll I I I Arrow/2 Patented June 26, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT lrFics;

EDMUND CLIFTON CARVER, O13v BURGESF; HILL, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING AND STRAINING LAWN -TENNIS AND LIKE NETS.

Application filed November 10, 1927, Serial No. 232,416, and in Great Britain December 10, 1926.

This invention relates to the posts or supports and apparatus'used for supporting or straining nets used in playing the game of lawn tennis or the like.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved construction which is simpler and cheaper than that now placedon the market.

According to this invention, net supporting and straining apparatus comprises a chain, to which the net supporting wire or rope is attached, adapted to engage around a sprocket wheel mounted at the upper extremity of the support, said sprocket being rotated by a ratchet lever against the action of a pawl or pawls.

The support may consist of three metal tubes orbars of light section arranged in the form of a pyramid and rigidly attached to a base plate.

In order that the invention may be understood, it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of net supporting and straining apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention; Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the straining apparatus, and Figure 3 is an end view, drawn to a larger scale, of

the straining apparatus.

The supporting apparatus for the net a comprises two posts I) and 0. Each post consists of three metal tubes (1, d, 03, arranged in the form of a pyramid and rigidly attached at their lower ends to a base plate e and their upper ends being connected b means of a bracket 2. Said base plate 6 is 'tted, on

' its underside, with a hook 7 which is adapted to enter a hole 9 formed in the top oi an anchor plate k which is adapted to be driven into the ground and below the level of the surface thereof.

At the top of the post I) is fitted a stud j on to which the standing end of the net rope or wire is hooked. At the top of the post 0 is fitted the straining device which consists of a sprocket wheel is rotatably mounted on a shaft Z in two of the tubes The said sprocket wheel is is adapted to receive a chain m which is secured to the other end of the net wire or rope.

Said sprocket wheel is is rotated by means of a hand lever a loosely mounted on the a series of depressions or slots p in the side of the sprocket wheel.

9, g are two pawls to prevent rotation of the sprocket wheel 70 in the reverse direction, the points '1" engaging'in the slots 10. The slots ;0 on each side of the sprocket wheel 7a and also the pawls g are staggered so that minute rotary adjustments of the wheel is can be efi'ected. The said pawls are pivoted together at s and are so shaped that the points thereoi always tend to engage the said slots. 6, t, are pivots about which the said pawls rock.

A squared boss u may be formed on the side of the sprocket wheel 70 in order that the said wheel may be rotated by means of a separate spanner or the like, and in this case the lever n maybe dispensed with.

With apparatus as above described, it is hook on the underside of said base, a

sprocket wheel rotatably mounted on said support, a chain adaptedto engage said sprocket wheel, a hand lever to rotate said sprocket wheel, and two pawls pivoted to the support and adapted to engage with said sprocket wheel. I

2.Apparatus for supporting and straining lawn tennis and likenets, comprising, a support, a base secured to said support, a hook on the underside of said base, a sprocket wheel rotatably mounted on said support, a chain adapted to engage said sprocket Wheel, a plurality of slots formed in each side of said sprocket wheel, a hand lever loosely mounted on said support, a projection on said hand lever adapted to engage said slots, and two pawls pivoted to said support and adapted to engage said slots.

3. A lawn tennis net support comprising a base plate, a vertical metallic rod secured to one end thereof, a pair of diagonally extending metallic rods secured to the opposite end of said plate, a bracket connecting the 5 upper ends of said rods, the upper extremi ties of said diagonally extending rods projecting beyond said bracket and a sprocket wheel of a net straining mechanism journalled wlthin the promoting extremities of EDMUND GLI F' ON CARVER. 

